The holidays are right around the corner, and finding the perfect gift can be a challenge — but Fine Wine & Good Spirits makes it easy to surprise and delight everyone on your list. Joining us is Liz Tarditi, Wine Specialist at Fine Wine & Good Spirits, to share smart and festive gift ideas for wine and spirit lovers this season. 🌐 Fine Wine & Good Spirits — Website & Socials Website: www.finewineandgoodspirits.com
Social Media: @PAWineSpirits (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube)
Please drink responsibly.
Philanthropy takes many forms, but when communities unite, the impact multiplies. That's the driving force behind Philly Gives, a collaborative initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation, in partnership with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and William Penn Foundation, to support ten essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia. Joining us is Heather Huot (Hewett), Secretary & Executive Vice President of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia, one of this year’s grantees, to discuss how this support extends vital services to individuals and families across the region. 🌐 Philly Gives — Website & Socials Website: www.phillygives.org
Social Media: @PhilaFound (Philadelphia Foundation)
Hashtag: #PhillyGives
As temperatures drop, the risk of home fires rises — especially in communities where space heaters, extension cords, and older heating systems are part of everyday life. Ensuring families stay safe is a year-round mission for the Philadelphia Housing Authority, and this season they’re teaming up with the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey through the United We Prepare initiative to bring fire-safety education and resources directly to residents. Joining us is Lisa A. Desamour, Fire Safety Compliance Manager for the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), to discuss the most common fire risks during the colder months, what families can do right now to prevent fires, and how PHA’s partnership with United Way is helping communities prepare, stay informed, and stay safe. Isa also shares practical safety tips, new initiatives rolling out this winter, and how residents can access free workshops and resources.
🌐 Resources, Website & Social Media Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA)
Website: https://www.pha.phila.gov
Facebook: @PhilaHousingAuthority
X/Twitter: @PhilaHousing
Instagram: @philahousingauthority
United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ)
Website: https://unitedforimpact.org
Facebook: @UnitedForImpact
Social Media: @PAWineSpirits (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube)
Please drink responsibly.
Philanthropy takes many forms, but when communities unite, the impact multiplies. That's the driving force behind Philly Gives, a collaborative initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation, in partnership with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and William Penn Foundation, to support ten essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia. Joining us is Heather Huot (Hewett), Secretary & Executive Vice President of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia, one of this year’s grantees, to discuss how this support extends vital services to individuals and families across the region. 🌐 Philly Gives — Website & Socials Website: www.phillygives.org
Social Media: @PhilaFound (Philadelphia Foundation)
Hashtag: #PhillyGives
As temperatures drop, the risk of home fires rises — especially in communities where space heaters, extension cords, and older heating systems are part of everyday life. Ensuring families stay safe is a year-round mission for the Philadelphia Housing Authority, and this season they’re teaming up with the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey through the United We Prepare initiative to bring fire-safety education and resources directly to residents. Joining us is Lisa A. Desamour, Fire Safety Compliance Manager for the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), to discuss the most common fire risks during the colder months, what families can do right now to prevent fires, and how PHA’s partnership with United Way is helping communities prepare, stay informed, and stay safe. Isa also shares practical safety tips, new initiatives rolling out this winter, and how residents can access free workshops and resources.
🌐 Resources, Website & Social Media Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA)
Website: https://www.pha.phila.gov
Facebook: @PhilaHousingAuthority
X/Twitter: @PhilaHousing
Instagram: @philahousingauthority
United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ)
Website: https://unitedforimpact.org
Facebook: @UnitedForImpact
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Welcome to What's going on? A show about
making a difference in our lives and our communities. I'm
Lorraine Balladmorrow. As the temperatures drop, return to winter fire
safety with Lisa a Decimor when the Philadelphia Housing Authority,
who joins us to talk about keeping home safe and
how pha's partnership with the United Way is bringing vital
resources to communities. But first, smart and festive gift ideas
(00:23):
for the wine and spirits lovers on your list. As
the holiday's approach, a lot of us are thinking about
the perfect gift for friends, family, and colleagues. Joining us
today is Russell Johnson Wine Specialists for Fine Wines and
Good Spirits, to share expert tips on wine gifting, festive ideas,
and how to make this season both joyful and tasteful.
(00:45):
Well Russell. For those who may not be familiar, tell
us about the Chairman's Selection Program and why that's kind
of a good one stop shop for holiday gifting.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah, absolutely, and thanks again for having me on today, Lorain.
So the Chairman's Selection Program is very cool because it's
actually a bulk buying program that we do for wines
and essentially that allows us to get a large purchase
where we get as savings and we pass that on
to the consumer. Every product has a description from a
certified wine professional. And the very cool thing is you
(01:16):
can actually see the savings that you're getting on each bottle.
It's on every display we have, so you know you're
definitely getting a great bottle at a really wonderful price.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Well, you know, one of the things that I enjoy
about shopping at fine wine and good spirits is the
unique offerings that you have. For instance, I have a
relative who loves RUMs, so I got Kraken, so I
can present him with the bottle of Kraken and say,
release the Kraken. And there are also lots of spirits
(01:46):
and wines that are produced by celebrities that make giving
those gifts kind of special. So I wonder if you
can talk a little bit about some of the unique
gifts that are available at your stores.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Absolutely. Yeah, I mean it does seem like every week
there's a new celebrity wine or spirit coming into the store.
It's kind of unique how many people have them. We
have Isa Reyes prosecco. Of course, we have Cosamigos, the
tequila brand that George Clooney helped co create. But other
than that, one thing I really enjoy is that we
carry a lot of gift sets for these various brands,
(02:18):
So anything from you know, Bullet, Bourbon, Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniels, Cossamigos.
As I mentioned, these are going to come with glassware, stemware, stirmers, accessories, coasters,
all kinds of neat stuff to help you kind of
fill out your bar. And the thing that is my
favorite about them is that they generally cost about the
same as the bottle itself, so you're not really spending
(02:39):
a lot more money to get all those accessories for free.
That's why I think it's a good gifting idea, but
it also helps you stay on budget.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yeah, well, there are also some folks who are very
hard to buy for. So what would you say to
someone who's trying to find the perfect gift for that person.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, definitely, you can't go wrong with a gift card
because you're pretty much leaving it right in your guests,
And we have those in the stores and you can
also purchase them online in pretty much any denomination in
store or online. In twenty five to fifty seventy five
or one hundred dollars increments. Our website is FWGS dot com.
You can go over there twenty four to seven. Makes
(03:15):
it very very simple. Another thing I'll mention is that
if you order products on there, anything over ninety nine
dollars can be shipped for free right to your home,
so it takes the shipping price out of it. I
think it's a really great deal.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Well, I'm all about personalizing my gifts, and every year
I make a big batch of cooquito and that is
a traditional Hispanic drink that involves lots of very sweet
milk products and lots of rum. So I wonder if
you can talk a little bit about the DIY types
(03:47):
of gifts that you can come up with when you
go to your stores. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Absolutely, I would once again recommend going to our website
for those. We have a lot of different videos about
how to put together different gift sets. We also have
videos educating you on how to make cocktails, how to
do wine pairings. We have explanations on different categories of line.
So if you're a DIY type of shopper you want
to put a little bit more effort into it, we
(04:12):
can help you out in terms of creating the recipes
and learning what ingredients you need to stock your bar with.
I think it's also really helpful if you happen to
be the host for any of the holidays this season,
help you be a little bit more unique, a little
bit more impressive for the guests. So really check out
the website videos. I think they're very helpful.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
The COVID epidemic was a difficult situation for everybody, but
in some ways it's kind of changed the way that
we've kind of approached retail, and that is that means
that you can order online, you can order for pickup
as well as going into this store. So talk about
the different options that are now available for everyone. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Absolutely, I really enjoy the fact that we can ship
both to the customer's home and to the store. I know,
especially if you live in the cities, a lot of
folks are sort of nervous about leaving their packages outside
or maybe it's difficult to get to their location. The
fact that you can ship to a store means you
won't miss the shipment, you won't have to come back
and reschedule it. We can safely and securely hang on
(05:11):
to it for you and you can come and pick
it up when it's convenient for you, and given the
hours that we have, I think it's really nice that
we're able to deliver that to the consumers. If you
want to deliver it straight to your home, it's very
very easy. I think you can do that twenty four
to seven on the website, and as I said, I
recommend going over ninety nine dollars. That's going to take
the shipping cost right out of it. You can do
(05:31):
that seven days a week.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yeah, And I think when you have things shipped directly
to the stores, it does make things a little bit
easier because I know during the holiday seasons it gets
really busy at your stores and not to have to
negotiate the long lines or elbowing someone who's trying to
grab the same wine bottle that you are, it's definitely true.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, yeah, we are getting very, very busy as the
holiday is approached. A lot of folks don't know that
Thanksgiving is actually the number one day for wine and
spirit consumption and purchases. So you might think, you know, Christmas,
New Year, some of the other holidays we have, but
Thanksgiving is when we're at our very busiest and that's
when I would recommend to you to utilize the website
the most.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yeah, that's great. Now I have to get a little
bit personal here. So, Russell Johnson, you are a wine specialist.
How did you get there? What was your inspiration? Were
you always thinking wine or was your path a little
more convoluted than that?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Definitely a little more convoluted and complicated. I'm a musician
by trade. That's what I started out doing, That's what
I still do. My family's always had an interest in wine.
I had an uncle who was a big collector. He
got me into it. I eventually decided to get my
somalier certification, so now I'm a certified wine professional. The
wine and spirits premium collection stores all generally have a
(06:48):
wine specialist, and I know a lot of folks don't
know a ton about wine or how to food pair it.
But if you just look for the green apron, that's
the wine specialist. We can help you out picking the walline,
doing the food pairing. And the other thing I really
want to encourage is look for the wine tastings at
your local premium collection stores. Most of them do a
wine tasting at least once per week, but some do
(07:09):
it two or three days per week. So if you
don't know a lot about wine or you want to
taste something before you invest in it, that's a great
opportunity to do it for free. I think you're going
to meet a lot of new folks as well. It's
a really nice social environment.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
So where can we hear your music?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
I have a few things here and there on YouTube,
things like that. I mostly do it for fun with
friends these days, to be honest with you, but I
feel like maybe I should do some recording get back
out there a bit.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Absolutely, Yeah, And of course people will be enjoying their
wine or their beers or whatever while they listen to
you perform.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
So hopefully good idea.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
But more directly, they will go to you for expert
advice on wine and spirits and if people want to
find you particularly. I know that they are wine specialists
in every store. But where is your store?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yeah? So I'm located at four eleven North twentieth Street,
and that's basically twentieth in Calo Hill. We are right
near the Art Museum, so very very busy area. If
you want to come and try some wines with me,
I'm doing free tastings every Friday, and Saturday night from
four to six pm. Like I said, four eleven North
twentieth twentieth in Calo Hill. If you come four to
(08:17):
six Friday Saturday, I have four different wines lined up,
and I do different wines both days. I have a
lot of regulars, so if you want to come on out,
you could actually try eight wines for free every single
week and I'll be educating you as we taste them.
So I think it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. Now, if
people want gift inspirations or they want more information about
all the things we talked about, where do they go?
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Definitely check out the website fwgs dot com. And if
you're following us on social media, we have pages on
Facebook x Instagram. We have a YouTube page, so you
can check us out on there as well. If you're
more of a social media user, that's where a lot
of the videos are. So come and leave us a comment,
give us a like. We're on there all the time.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Well, in a time when sometimes it's very difficult to
find the right present for someone, somehow wine or spirits
always seems to come through as the perfect gift. And
I want to Thank you so much for all of
your suggestions and all of your advice. Russell Johnson Wine
Specialists for Fine Wine and Good Spirits, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Absolutely, I want to encourage everyone to drink responsibly this
holiday season, but have a ton of fun and please
come visit me at the wine Tastings. I'd love to
meet all of you.
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Speaker 3 (09:31):
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Speaker 1 (09:34):
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Speaker 4 (09:38):
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Speaker 5 (10:28):
The more you listen to your kids, the closer you'll be.
So we asked kids, what do you want your parents
to hear?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
I feel sometimes that I'm now listened to.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
I would just want you to listen to me more
often and evaluate situations with me and lead me towards success.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
Listening is a form of love. Find resources to help
you support your kids and their emotional well being at
Sound It out Together dot org. That's Sounded Out Together
dot org, brought to you by the Ad Council and Pivotal.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow. During the winter months, we are more
at risk for fires because of issues related to how
people heat their homes, sometimes in ways that are hazardous.
So we're going to be talking with someone who's going
to give us a lot of tips on how to
be safe fire safety tips especially during these colder months,
(11:26):
and also how United Way is helping to provide the
support that is needed to help make us safer from
a fire safety perspective. Lisa Decimore is fire safety compliance
manager for PHA. Lisa tell us about the winter month,
why is it that people are often more at risk
(11:47):
for fires during these cold winter months.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Well, obviously because it's cold in the wintertime. A lot
of times folks will supplement heating with space heaters, all
types of heating systems to make sure that they stay warm.
I mean, I know we're more technologically advanced these days, however,
it's still an issue. So whether it's folks you know,
(12:10):
plugging in a bunch of appliances into one outlet or
using you know, extension cords to supplement that. Oftentimes it'll
be something so simple. You know, someone may put a
heater on a rug or have the heater close to
something that's combustible. And again, it sounds so straightforward and simple,
(12:32):
but unfortunately it's something that happens time and time again.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Yeah, Well, especially when you talk about kerosene heaters, because
a lot of people use those and those can be
very hazardous.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Very very hazardous, and a lot of times people will
get somewhat complacent, you know, that's something that they say that, oh,
I've done this in the past, I know how to
handle it. Complacency is the devil, I will always say.
Oftentimes people will fill the kerosene in their home, or
put again things near it on top of it, or
(13:03):
maybe even have pets and little ones that may get
too close to it tip it over, and there is
the beginning of a disaster.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Well, so obviously we need to make sure that people
understand what they need to do in order to keep
themselves safe. What are some of the top tips that
you tell people to ensure that they have a safe
winter as far as fire safety is concerned.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Well, as far as fire safety is concerned, mentioning the heaters,
making sure you use it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
A lot of times I'm guilty of it myself. You
know you throw those types of pamphlets away, Please don't.
They're there for a reason. Obviously. Making sure that you
plug certain appliances, especially larger ones, directly into the wall.
(13:52):
Try not to overload them. Actually, do not overload them.
Making sure that when you're turning on your heating system
in your home for the first time, making sure that
you're following what you're supposed to be following as far
as keeping anything vents clean, or if you need to
reach out to, you know, your utility company, make sure
that you reach out to them. Another one that I
(14:15):
want to mention, and I guess this is kind of
relatable because obviously we're also coming up on the holiday season. Candles.
Candles is another big one, So making sure if you
do use the candles where it actually has a real flame,
be sure to keep it on something that's glass where
it's not going to break or it's going to ignite.
(14:37):
Making sure again that if you have pets in the
home and little people, keeping it away from them, and
keeping ignition sources away from our little people as well.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah, well, you know, one of the challenges, certainly during
the winter months is potentially fire and a lot of
folks have allowed their smoke detectors to go without batteries,
and I know that when the time change happens, the
fire departments always suggest that you test out your smoke detectors.
(15:10):
First of all, have a smoke detector number one and
number two. Make sure that the battery is current, and
that's a great time to be able to check is
at least twice a year, right.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
That is correct. I mean it's the best time to
remember because obviously, you know, we're working with time differences
so that it kind of works. It goes hand in
hand to remind folks that, hey, listen during this time
of the year. Make sure that you check your batteries.
Don't take the batteries out and use them for the remotes.
Please don't do that. So many people do that.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, oh my gosh, yeah, yeah for sure. How is
United Way supporting the efforts that you are involved in
with in terms of fire safety.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
So fire safety and all things I would say emergency
preparedness related as well. They have partnered with Verizon and
several other local agencies and organizations to make sure that
neighborhoods that normally don't get the resources necessary to mitigate
these situations, to make sure they're not left out because
(16:15):
oftentimes you may have families who don't have the support
in place, or who may just very well just not
be aware of what's available to them, and we want
to make sure that everyone stays safe.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Is there a website or places where we can get
resources to understand more about how to keep safe from
a fire safety standpoint.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
There are so many resources, and I say it in
such a way like, oh, I know that, But then
again I have to remind myself that not everyone does.
And our little people, our young folks, are also great
resources because I know the fire Department goes out to
the school, their fire prevention division, and you always have
little people teaching our older folks. You know, this is
(16:57):
what I learned today, or something as simple. Less so
we can go onto Google and check that. So I
would always say making sure that you go on to
fill it dot gov, check the fire department. There's so
many resources on there, going on logging into you know,
United Way. There's tons of resources and it's just a
matter of being able to navigate that because everything on
(17:20):
those sites are pretty much straightforward, easy to find.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Yeah, and I have to get up close and personal
because you know, fire safety is very it's a very
specific thing to get involved with. How did you get
into fire safety?
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Ah, that's an awesome question because I love bringing up
my time in the Philadelphia Fire Department. Recently retired from
the PFD. I retired back in February with twenty years
of service.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Really you look young for that, Oh, like a teenage.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Damn my dash, I will soak in every companiment I
can get. Thank you again. But yes, twenty years with
the department. I was twenty nine when I got into
the PFD. I was a firefighter in North Philly. When
once I retired, I was a lieutenant and I retired
out of headquarters. So I spent some time in the
(18:11):
Fire Prevention Division. Awesome division, good folks down there, even
department wide of course, and we're always trying to make
sure that we, you know, conduct community engagement and making
sure we reach out to the community. That's why I
always say, you know, everybody loves us.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
That is amazing. I am so shocked because literally, you
do not look like someone who was twenty years in
the fire department. You really look like a teenager. I'm
telling you. I know it's radio out there you can't
see this, but take my word for it. She looks
like a teenager. Anyway, Lisa, if people want more information
(18:48):
about fire safety, and particularly through United Way, where do
they go?
Speaker 3 (18:54):
They would go through United for Impact dot org.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
That's very easy site to remember, United for Impact dot org.
And I'm gonna have to have you come back in
again because your story has got to be really fascinating because,
first of all, there was still relatively few women and
relatively few women of color who are firefighters. That corrects,
(19:19):
and I'm sure you have an amazing story to tell,
so I really want you to come back absolutely and
talk about it. But in the meantime, thank you so
much for the fire safety tips. We all need them.
Winter can be a very hazardous time when it comes
to fire safety, and you want to go to that
website United for Impact dot org and Lisa, a decimor
(19:42):
fire safety compliance manager for PHA, thank you so much
for joining us.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Thank you so much. I definitely look forward to coming back.
Yeay hi.
Speaker 7 (19:57):
I'm Ryan Blaney, a third generational race car driver, and
we dedicate a lot of our time to going as
fast as possible. My Grandpa Lou is the reason why
my dad and I started racing, and I'm really proud
to follow on his tracks. But when my grandpa was
diagnosed with Alzheimer's, it was a very unexpected bump in
the road for us. I've learned a lot on this
journey with my Grandpa Lou, and the memories of my
grandpa will always be with me. It's important to notice
(20:18):
if older family members are acting differently, experiencing problems with
their memory, or having trouble with routine tasks. Talking about
Alzheimer's can be really tough, but if you notice something,
have a conversation with your loved one, encourage them to
see a doctor or offer to go with them. Early
detection of Alzheimer's can give your family time to explore
support services, make a plan for the future, and access
available treatments. The Alzheimer's Association provides care, support and research
(20:42):
to help you take control of the situation with your
family and manage the disease together. If you or your
family are noticing changes, it could be Alzheimer's. Talk about
seeing a doctor together. Visit alz dot org slash time
to talk a message from the Alzheimer's Association and the
ad counsel.
Speaker 8 (20:57):
Talking to your kids about the dangers that vaping can
be hard. Getting them to listen to hot gossip is easy.
So here's some drama you could share with your kid. Dude,
did you hear about Cassie and Jake?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
No?
Speaker 8 (21:10):
But did you hear that vaping can cause irreversible lung damage,
nicotine effects brain development?
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Nuh? Uh?
Speaker 8 (21:17):
You don't need a gossip if you want to have
an open conversation about vaping. So if you want to
get tips on when and how to talk to your kids,
visit talk about Vaping dot org, brought to you by
the American Lung Association and the AD Council.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
A loved one owns a gun, and for a while
now you've been concerned about their behavior. They're just not
acting like themselves. They've been distant, they've been unpredictable. They've
been lashing out. They've been saying things that make you
worried they might harm themselves or friends or family. Or
you're worried this loved one might hurt you. Maybe they
(21:48):
recently threatened someone with their gun. You know something needs
to be done, and you wish, more than anything you
could hit pause on this situation. Well, here in Illinois
you can with a firearms restraining order. In extreme cases,
this order temporarily prevents a person in crisis from having
a firearm, giving them time to heal before they do
(22:09):
something dangerous or even deadly. If you are worried about
a loved one in crisis who has access to a firearm,
learn more about firearm restraining orders at Illinois dot gov
slash Pause to Heal, a public service announcement brought to
you by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Brady and
the ad Council.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Philanthropy takes many forms, but when communities unite, the impact multiplies.
That's the driving force behind Philly Gibbs, a collaborative initiative
led by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership with a Lensfest
Institute for Journalism and the William Penn Foundation to support
essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia. Joining us is Heather Hewitt,
(22:58):
whose secretary in the executive vice president of Catholic Charities
of Philadelphia and one of this year's grantees, to tell
us how to support this extended program to provide vital
services to individuals and families across the region. So thank
you so much for joining us here today, and first
of all, for those who may not be familiar, tell
(23:21):
us about Catholic Charities of Philadelphia and the core mission
that guide your work.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 9 (23:27):
So much for this opportunity. We are honored to be
a part of Philly Gibbs twenty twenty five. Catholic Charities
of Philadelphia works throughout the five County region to serve
all of our sisters and brothers in need, and we
do that in a variety of different ways. We empower
those who are living with disabilities by providing residential and
(23:48):
day programs. We provide housing for the homeless, food for
those who are struggling to make ends meet. We support
seniors in our communities through community programs and affordable housing developments.
And we work to stabilize families and provide for our
youth who are living in a very difficult time these days.
(24:10):
So our work is vast and impacts a lot of
different communities. It is a blessing every day to do
the work that we do. And again we're honored to
be among the organizations that are part of Philly Gives
this year.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Certainly your work is more important now than ever, certainly
most definitely. So tell us how does Philly Give Gives
help strengthen your organization's capacity to serve families and communities
in need.
Speaker 9 (24:38):
Well, what's remarkable about Philly Gives is that one hundred
percent of all the donations are going directly to the
organizations that are honored to be partners. So anyone that
donates to Philly Gives can feel very assured that their
dollars are going right to those in need. And just
like you said, right now is a really really difficult time.
(25:01):
This past week, we have seen the numbers in our
food cupboards double across every program area that we have.
So it's a time where Philly Gives really makes it
easy for the generous people the Philadelphia region to step
in and support one another.
Speaker 6 (25:19):
And it's.
Speaker 9 (25:21):
It really, it's just it's just such an easy way
to be a part of the solution.
Speaker 8 (25:27):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (25:28):
And and again, we're just honored to be a part
of it.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I wonder if you can share a story or an
example that illustrates how Catholic Charities is making a tangible
difference in someone's life. You certainly mentioned the importance of
these food covered cupboards and how the need has has
increased so dramatically tell us more.
Speaker 9 (25:50):
That's that's one example, and and and again, it's really
important to be able to give families the essentials they need,
like food. It's also really important to give them the
skills they need to make their lives different. So I
am going to tell a story about a program that
that does not provide food, but provides perhaps the way
of looking at life differently.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
So we have a program in.
Speaker 9 (26:14):
Southwest Philadelphia called Youth Skills Building Program where every day
we bring youth about ten at a time. They come
with us for about six months and after school they
come to our program and they learn carpentry skills, they
learn interviewing skills, they learn how to build their resume,
so when they graduate from high school, they have options
(26:36):
and a clear path forward. And it's we're bringing in
youth that are living in very specific neighborhoods in Philadelphia
that are growing up with gun violence all around them,
and to be able to give them this path and
these skills, these tangible skills to move forward with life.
Hopefully they're not coming to us for help with food
(27:00):
in ten years because we've made an incredible impact in
the trajectory.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
Of their lives.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
So you know, give a person a fish and feed
them for a day, teach them how to fish, and
they will never grow hungry. So that's a perfect example
of that. How can listeners get involved, whether through donations, volunteering,
or spreading the word both about Philly Gives and the
work of Catholic charities.
Speaker 9 (27:27):
Well, I think donating is easy. Just go to Phillygives
dot org. There's a donate button and we welcome any
level of generosity, so don't feel like you don't have
enough to give. Every dollar makes a difference, and especially
right now. So and volunteering. I think all of the
organizations that are part of Philly Gives have wonderful opportunities
(27:50):
if there is something you feel really called to. All
of us on our websites have links to volunteer reach out.
We welcome people to join with us us in our mission,
whether that be financially or with us in our programs
helping out. So never hesitate. There's always room for one
more around our table.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Well, I love to hear that, and certainly now the
need is greater than ever, and it's good to know
that there is a collaborative which we call Philly Gives,
an initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership with
the Lensfest Institute for Journalism and the William Penn Foundation.
Heather Hewitt, Secretary and Executive Vice President of Catholic Charities
(28:30):
of Philadelphia, one of the recipients of the generosity of
folks who have given to PHILI given to Philly Gives.
Thank you so much for joining us here today. And
besides Phillygives dot org, what's the website for more information
about Catholic charities.
Speaker 9 (28:45):
Our website is Ccphila dot org.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
All right, thank you again for joining us today.
Speaker 9 (28:51):
Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app Keywords Philadelphia Community Podcast.
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard. I'm
Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to our
community and media that empowers. What will you stand for?
(29:14):
You've been listening to what's going on, and thank you
Good morning, Welcome to What's going on? A show about
making a difference in our lives and our communities. I'm
Lorraine Balladmorrow. As the temperatures drop, return to winter fire
safety with Lisa a Decimor when the Philadelphia Housing Authority,
who joins us to talk about keeping home safe and
how pha's partnership with the United Way is bringing vital
resources to communities. But first, smart and festive gift ideas
(00:23):
for the wine and spirits lovers on your list. As
the holiday's approach, a lot of us are thinking about
the perfect gift for friends, family, and colleagues. Joining us
today is Russell Johnson Wine Specialists for Fine Wines and
Good Spirits, to share expert tips on wine gifting, festive ideas,
and how to make this season both joyful and tasteful.
(00:45):
Well Russell. For those who may not be familiar, tell
us about the Chairman's Selection Program and why that's kind
of a good one stop shop for holiday gifting.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah, absolutely, and thanks again for having me on today, Lorain.
So the Chairman's Selection Program is very cool because it's
actually a bulk buying program that we do for wines
and essentially that allows us to get a large purchase
where we get as savings and we pass that on
to the consumer. Every product has a description from a
certified wine professional. And the very cool thing is you
(01:16):
can actually see the savings that you're getting on each bottle.
It's on every display we have, so you know you're
definitely getting a great bottle at a really wonderful price.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Well, you know, one of the things that I enjoy
about shopping at fine wine and good spirits is the
unique offerings that you have. For instance, I have a
relative who loves RUMs, so I got Kraken, so I
can present him with the bottle of Kraken and say,
release the Kraken. And there are also lots of spirits
(01:46):
and wines that are produced by celebrities that make giving
those gifts kind of special. So I wonder if you
can talk a little bit about some of the unique
gifts that are available at your stores.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Absolutely. Yeah, I mean it does seem like every week
there's a new celebrity wine or spirit coming into the store.
It's kind of unique how many people have them. We
have Isa Reyes prosecco. Of course, we have Cosamigos, the
tequila brand that George Clooney helped co create. But other
than that, one thing I really enjoy is that we
carry a lot of gift sets for these various brands,
(02:18):
So anything from you know, Bullet, Bourbon, Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniels, Cossamigos.
As I mentioned, these are going to come with glassware, stemware, stirmers, accessories, coasters,
all kinds of neat stuff to help you kind of
fill out your bar. And the thing that is my
favorite about them is that they generally cost about the
same as the bottle itself, so you're not really spending
(02:39):
a lot more money to get all those accessories for free.
That's why I think it's a good gifting idea, but
it also helps you stay on budget.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yeah, well, there are also some folks who are very
hard to buy for. So what would you say to
someone who's trying to find the perfect gift for that person.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, definitely, you can't go wrong with a gift card
because you're pretty much leaving it right in your guests,
And we have those in the stores and you can
also purchase them online in pretty much any denomination in
store or online. In twenty five to fifty seventy five
or one hundred dollars increments. Our website is FWGS dot com.
You can go over there twenty four to seven. Makes
(03:15):
it very very simple. Another thing I'll mention is that
if you order products on there, anything over ninety nine
dollars can be shipped for free right to your home,
so it takes the shipping price out of it. I
think it's a really great deal.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Well, I'm all about personalizing my gifts, and every year
I make a big batch of cooquito and that is
a traditional Hispanic drink that involves lots of very sweet
milk products and lots of rum. So I wonder if
you can talk a little bit about the DIY types
(03:47):
of gifts that you can come up with when you
go to your stores. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Absolutely, I would once again recommend going to our website
for those. We have a lot of different videos about
how to put together different gift sets. We also have
videos educating you on how to make cocktails, how to
do wine pairings. We have explanations on different categories of line.
So if you're a DIY type of shopper you want
to put a little bit more effort into it, we
(04:12):
can help you out in terms of creating the recipes
and learning what ingredients you need to stock your bar with.
I think it's also really helpful if you happen to
be the host for any of the holidays this season,
help you be a little bit more unique, a little
bit more impressive for the guests. So really check out
the website videos. I think they're very helpful.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
The COVID epidemic was a difficult situation for everybody, but
in some ways it's kind of changed the way that
we've kind of approached retail, and that is that means
that you can order online, you can order for pickup
as well as going into this store. So talk about
the different options that are now available for everyone. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Absolutely, I really enjoy the fact that we can ship
both to the customer's home and to the store. I know,
especially if you live in the cities, a lot of
folks are sort of nervous about leaving their packages outside
or maybe it's difficult to get to their location. The
fact that you can ship to a store means you
won't miss the shipment, you won't have to come back
and reschedule it. We can safely and securely hang on
(05:11):
to it for you and you can come and pick
it up when it's convenient for you, and given the
hours that we have, I think it's really nice that
we're able to deliver that to the consumers. If you
want to deliver it straight to your home, it's very
very easy. I think you can do that twenty four
to seven on the website, and as I said, I
recommend going over ninety nine dollars. That's going to take
the shipping cost right out of it. You can do
(05:31):
that seven days a week.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yeah, And I think when you have things shipped directly
to the stores, it does make things a little bit
easier because I know during the holiday seasons it gets
really busy at your stores and not to have to
negotiate the long lines or elbowing someone who's trying to
grab the same wine bottle that you are, it's definitely true.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, yeah, we are getting very, very busy as the
holiday is approached. A lot of folks don't know that
Thanksgiving is actually the number one day for wine and
spirit consumption and purchases. So you might think, you know, Christmas,
New Year, some of the other holidays we have, but
Thanksgiving is when we're at our very busiest and that's
when I would recommend to you to utilize the website
the most.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yeah, that's great. Now I have to get a little
bit personal here. So, Russell Johnson, you are a wine specialist.
How did you get there? What was your inspiration? Were
you always thinking wine or was your path a little
more convoluted than that?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Definitely a little more convoluted and complicated. I'm a musician
by trade. That's what I started out doing, That's what
I still do. My family's always had an interest in wine.
I had an uncle who was a big collector. He
got me into it. I eventually decided to get my
somalier certification, so now I'm a certified wine professional. The
wine and spirits premium collection stores all generally have a
(06:48):
wine specialist, and I know a lot of folks don't
know a ton about wine or how to food pair it.
But if you just look for the green apron, that's
the wine specialist. We can help you out picking the walline,
doing the food pairing. And the other thing I really
want to encourage is look for the wine tastings at
your local premium collection stores. Most of them do a
wine tasting at least once per week, but some do
(07:09):
it two or three days per week. So if you
don't know a lot about wine or you want to
taste something before you invest in it, that's a great
opportunity to do it for free. I think you're going
to meet a lot of new folks as well. It's
a really nice social environment.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
So where can we hear your music?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
I have a few things here and there on YouTube,
things like that. I mostly do it for fun with
friends these days, to be honest with you, but I
feel like maybe I should do some recording get back
out there a bit.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Absolutely, Yeah, And of course people will be enjoying their
wine or their beers or whatever while they listen to
you perform.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
So hopefully good idea.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
But more directly, they will go to you for expert
advice on wine and spirits and if people want to
find you particularly. I know that they are wine specialists
in every store. But where is your store?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yeah? So I'm located at four eleven North twentieth Street,
and that's basically twentieth in Calo Hill. We are right
near the Art Museum, so very very busy area. If
you want to come and try some wines with me,
I'm doing free tastings every Friday, and Saturday night from
four to six pm. Like I said, four eleven North
twentieth twentieth in Calo Hill. If you come four to
(08:17):
six Friday Saturday, I have four different wines lined up,
and I do different wines both days. I have a
lot of regulars, so if you want to come on out,
you could actually try eight wines for free every single
week and I'll be educating you as we taste them.
So I think it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. Now, if
people want gift inspirations or they want more information about
all the things we talked about, where do they go?
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Definitely check out the website fwgs dot com. And if
you're following us on social media, we have pages on
Facebook x Instagram. We have a YouTube page, so you
can check us out on there as well. If you're
more of a social media user, that's where a lot
of the videos are. So come and leave us a comment,
give us a like. We're on there all the time.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Well, in a time when sometimes it's very difficult to
find the right present for someone, somehow wine or spirits
always seems to come through as the perfect gift. And
I want to Thank you so much for all of
your suggestions and all of your advice. Russell Johnson Wine
Specialists for Fine Wine and Good Spirits, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Absolutely, I want to encourage everyone to drink responsibly this
holiday season, but have a ton of fun and please
come visit me at the wine Tastings. I'd love to
meet all of you.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Hey, dad, how do airplanes flot?
Speaker 3 (09:31):
What's in this box? Is this stray good for climbing?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
How are babies made? What does this thing do?
Speaker 4 (09:38):
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(10:20):
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Speaker 5 (10:28):
The more you listen to your kids, the closer you'll be.
So we asked kids, what do you want your parents
to hear?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
I feel sometimes that I'm now listened to.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
I would just want you to listen to me more
often and evaluate situations with me and lead me towards success.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
Listening is a form of love. Find resources to help
you support your kids and their emotional well being at
Sound It out Together dot org. That's Sounded Out Together
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Speaker 1 (11:06):
I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow. During the winter months, we are more
at risk for fires because of issues related to how
people heat their homes, sometimes in ways that are hazardous.
So we're going to be talking with someone who's going
to give us a lot of tips on how to
be safe fire safety tips especially during these colder months,
(11:26):
and also how United Way is helping to provide the
support that is needed to help make us safer from
a fire safety perspective. Lisa Decimore is fire safety compliance
manager for PHA. Lisa tell us about the winter month,
why is it that people are often more at risk
(11:47):
for fires during these cold winter months.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Well, obviously because it's cold in the wintertime. A lot
of times folks will supplement heating with space heaters, all
types of heating systems to make sure that they stay warm.
I mean, I know we're more technologically advanced these days, however,
it's still an issue. So whether it's folks you know,
(12:10):
plugging in a bunch of appliances into one outlet or
using you know, extension cords to supplement that. Oftentimes it'll
be something so simple. You know, someone may put a
heater on a rug or have the heater close to
something that's combustible. And again, it sounds so straightforward and simple,
(12:32):
but unfortunately it's something that happens time and time again.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Yeah, Well, especially when you talk about kerosene heaters, because
a lot of people use those and those can be
very hazardous.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Very very hazardous, and a lot of times people will
get somewhat complacent, you know, that's something that they say that, oh,
I've done this in the past, I know how to
handle it. Complacency is the devil, I will always say.
Oftentimes people will fill the kerosene in their home, or
put again things near it on top of it, or
(13:03):
maybe even have pets and little ones that may get
too close to it tip it over, and there is
the beginning of a disaster.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Well, so obviously we need to make sure that people
understand what they need to do in order to keep
themselves safe. What are some of the top tips that
you tell people to ensure that they have a safe
winter as far as fire safety is concerned.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Well, as far as fire safety is concerned, mentioning the heaters,
making sure you use it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
A lot of times I'm guilty of it myself. You
know you throw those types of pamphlets away, Please don't.
They're there for a reason. Obviously. Making sure that you
plug certain appliances, especially larger ones, directly into the wall.
(13:52):
Try not to overload them. Actually, do not overload them.
Making sure that when you're turning on your heating system
in your home for the first time, making sure that
you're following what you're supposed to be following as far
as keeping anything vents clean, or if you need to
reach out to, you know, your utility company, make sure
that you reach out to them. Another one that I
(14:15):
want to mention, and I guess this is kind of
relatable because obviously we're also coming up on the holiday season. Candles.
Candles is another big one, So making sure if you
do use the candles where it actually has a real flame,
be sure to keep it on something that's glass where
it's not going to break or it's going to ignite.
(14:37):
Making sure again that if you have pets in the
home and little people, keeping it away from them, and
keeping ignition sources away from our little people as well.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah, well, you know, one of the challenges, certainly during
the winter months is potentially fire and a lot of
folks have allowed their smoke detectors to go without batteries,
and I know that when the time change happens, the
fire departments always suggest that you test out your smoke detectors.
(15:10):
First of all, have a smoke detector number one and
number two. Make sure that the battery is current, and
that's a great time to be able to check is
at least twice a year, right.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
That is correct. I mean it's the best time to
remember because obviously, you know, we're working with time differences
so that it kind of works. It goes hand in
hand to remind folks that, hey, listen during this time
of the year. Make sure that you check your batteries.
Don't take the batteries out and use them for the remotes.
Please don't do that. So many people do that.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, oh my gosh, yeah, yeah for sure. How is
United Way supporting the efforts that you are involved in
with in terms of fire safety.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
So fire safety and all things I would say emergency
preparedness related as well. They have partnered with Verizon and
several other local agencies and organizations to make sure that
neighborhoods that normally don't get the resources necessary to mitigate
these situations, to make sure they're not left out because
(16:15):
oftentimes you may have families who don't have the support
in place, or who may just very well just not
be aware of what's available to them, and we want
to make sure that everyone stays safe.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Is there a website or places where we can get
resources to understand more about how to keep safe from
a fire safety standpoint.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
There are so many resources, and I say it in
such a way like, oh, I know that, But then
again I have to remind myself that not everyone does.
And our little people, our young folks, are also great
resources because I know the fire Department goes out to
the school, their fire prevention division, and you always have
little people teaching our older folks. You know, this is
(16:57):
what I learned today, or something as simple. Less so
we can go onto Google and check that. So I
would always say making sure that you go on to
fill it dot gov, check the fire department. There's so
many resources on there, going on logging into you know,
United Way. There's tons of resources and it's just a
matter of being able to navigate that because everything on
(17:20):
those sites are pretty much straightforward, easy to find.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Yeah, and I have to get up close and personal
because you know, fire safety is very it's a very
specific thing to get involved with. How did you get
into fire safety?
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Ah, that's an awesome question because I love bringing up
my time in the Philadelphia Fire Department. Recently retired from
the PFD. I retired back in February with twenty years
of service.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Really you look young for that, Oh, like a teenage.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Damn my dash, I will soak in every companiment I
can get. Thank you again. But yes, twenty years with
the department. I was twenty nine when I got into
the PFD. I was a firefighter in North Philly. When
once I retired, I was a lieutenant and I retired
out of headquarters. So I spent some time in the
(18:11):
Fire Prevention Division. Awesome division, good folks down there, even
department wide of course, and we're always trying to make
sure that we, you know, conduct community engagement and making
sure we reach out to the community. That's why I
always say, you know, everybody loves us.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
That is amazing. I am so shocked because literally, you
do not look like someone who was twenty years in
the fire department. You really look like a teenager. I'm
telling you. I know it's radio out there you can't
see this, but take my word for it. She looks
like a teenager. Anyway, Lisa, if people want more information
(18:48):
about fire safety, and particularly through United Way, where do
they go?
Speaker 3 (18:54):
They would go through United for Impact dot org.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
That's very easy site to remember, United for Impact dot org.
And I'm gonna have to have you come back in
again because your story has got to be really fascinating because,
first of all, there was still relatively few women and
relatively few women of color who are firefighters. That corrects,
(19:19):
and I'm sure you have an amazing story to tell,
so I really want you to come back absolutely and
talk about it. But in the meantime, thank you so
much for the fire safety tips. We all need them.
Winter can be a very hazardous time when it comes
to fire safety, and you want to go to that
website United for Impact dot org and Lisa, a decimor
(19:42):
fire safety compliance manager for PHA, thank you so much
for joining us.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Thank you so much. I definitely look forward to coming back.
Yeay hi.
Speaker 7 (19:57):
I'm Ryan Blaney, a third generational race car driver, and
we dedicate a lot of our time to going as
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the road for us. I've learned a lot on this
journey with my Grandpa Lou, and the memories of my
grandpa will always be with me. It's important to notice
(20:18):
if older family members are acting differently, experiencing problems with
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Alzheimer's can be really tough, but if you notice something,
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(20:42):
to help you take control of the situation with your
family and manage the disease together. If you or your
family are noticing changes, it could be Alzheimer's. Talk about
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Speaker 3 (21:09):
No?
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Uh?
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Speaker 8 (21:17):
You don't need a gossip if you want to have
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get tips on when and how to talk to your kids,
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Speaker 6 (21:27):
A loved one owns a gun, and for a while
now you've been concerned about their behavior. They're just not
acting like themselves. They've been distant, they've been unpredictable. They've
been lashing out. They've been saying things that make you
worried they might harm themselves or friends or family. Or
you're worried this loved one might hurt you. Maybe they
(21:48):
recently threatened someone with their gun. You know something needs
to be done, and you wish, more than anything you
could hit pause on this situation. Well, here in Illinois
you can with a firearms restraining order. In extreme cases,
this order temporarily prevents a person in crisis from having
a firearm, giving them time to heal before they do
(22:09):
something dangerous or even deadly. If you are worried about
a loved one in crisis who has access to a firearm,
learn more about firearm restraining orders at Illinois dot gov
slash Pause to Heal, a public service announcement brought to
you by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Brady and
the ad Council.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Philanthropy takes many forms, but when communities unite, the impact multiplies.
That's the driving force behind Philly Gibbs, a collaborative initiative
led by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership with a Lensfest
Institute for Journalism and the William Penn Foundation to support
essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia. Joining us is Heather Hewitt,
(22:58):
whose secretary in the executive vice president of Catholic Charities
of Philadelphia and one of this year's grantees, to tell
us how to support this extended program to provide vital
services to individuals and families across the region. So thank
you so much for joining us here today, and first
of all, for those who may not be familiar, tell
(23:21):
us about Catholic Charities of Philadelphia and the core mission
that guide your work.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 9 (23:27):
So much for this opportunity. We are honored to be
a part of Philly Gibbs twenty twenty five. Catholic Charities
of Philadelphia works throughout the five County region to serve
all of our sisters and brothers in need, and we
do that in a variety of different ways. We empower
those who are living with disabilities by providing residential and
(23:48):
day programs. We provide housing for the homeless, food for
those who are struggling to make ends meet. We support
seniors in our communities through community programs and affordable housing developments.
And we work to stabilize families and provide for our
youth who are living in a very difficult time these days.
(24:10):
So our work is vast and impacts a lot of
different communities. It is a blessing every day to do
the work that we do. And again we're honored to
be among the organizations that are part of Philly Gives
this year.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Certainly your work is more important now than ever, certainly
most definitely. So tell us how does Philly Give Gives
help strengthen your organization's capacity to serve families and communities
in need.
Speaker 9 (24:38):
Well, what's remarkable about Philly Gives is that one hundred
percent of all the donations are going directly to the
organizations that are honored to be partners. So anyone that
donates to Philly Gives can feel very assured that their
dollars are going right to those in need. And just
like you said, right now is a really really difficult time.
(25:01):
This past week, we have seen the numbers in our
food cupboards double across every program area that we have.
So it's a time where Philly Gives really makes it
easy for the generous people the Philadelphia region to step
in and support one another.
Speaker 6 (25:19):
And it's.
Speaker 9 (25:21):
It really, it's just it's just such an easy way
to be a part of the solution.
Speaker 8 (25:27):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (25:28):
And and again, we're just honored to be a part
of it.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I wonder if you can share a story or an
example that illustrates how Catholic Charities is making a tangible
difference in someone's life. You certainly mentioned the importance of
these food covered cupboards and how the need has has
increased so dramatically tell us more.
Speaker 9 (25:50):
That's that's one example, and and and again, it's really
important to be able to give families the essentials they need,
like food. It's also really important to give them the
skills they need to make their lives different. So I
am going to tell a story about a program that
that does not provide food, but provides perhaps the way
of looking at life differently.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
So we have a program in.
Speaker 9 (26:14):
Southwest Philadelphia called Youth Skills Building Program where every day
we bring youth about ten at a time. They come
with us for about six months and after school they
come to our program and they learn carpentry skills, they
learn interviewing skills, they learn how to build their resume,
so when they graduate from high school, they have options
(26:36):
and a clear path forward. And it's we're bringing in
youth that are living in very specific neighborhoods in Philadelphia
that are growing up with gun violence all around them,
and to be able to give them this path and
these skills, these tangible skills to move forward with life.
Hopefully they're not coming to us for help with food
(27:00):
in ten years because we've made an incredible impact in
the trajectory.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
Of their lives.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
So you know, give a person a fish and feed
them for a day, teach them how to fish, and
they will never grow hungry. So that's a perfect example
of that. How can listeners get involved, whether through donations, volunteering,
or spreading the word both about Philly Gives and the
work of Catholic charities.
Speaker 9 (27:27):
Well, I think donating is easy. Just go to Phillygives
dot org. There's a donate button and we welcome any
level of generosity, so don't feel like you don't have
enough to give. Every dollar makes a difference, and especially
right now. So and volunteering. I think all of the
organizations that are part of Philly Gives have wonderful opportunities
(27:50):
if there is something you feel really called to. All
of us on our websites have links to volunteer reach out.
We welcome people to join with us us in our mission,
whether that be financially or with us in our programs
helping out. So never hesitate. There's always room for one
more around our table.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Well, I love to hear that, and certainly now the
need is greater than ever, and it's good to know
that there is a collaborative which we call Philly Gives,
an initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership with
the Lensfest Institute for Journalism and the William Penn Foundation.
Heather Hewitt, Secretary and Executive Vice President of Catholic Charities
(28:30):
of Philadelphia, one of the recipients of the generosity of
folks who have given to PHILI given to Philly Gives.
Thank you so much for joining us here today. And
besides Phillygives dot org, what's the website for more information
about Catholic charities.
Speaker 9 (28:45):
Our website is Ccphila dot org.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
All right, thank you again for joining us today.
Speaker 9 (28:51):
Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app Keywords Philadelphia Community Podcast.
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard. I'm
Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to our
community and media that empowers. What will you stand for?
(29:14):
You've been listening to what's going on, and thank you
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